No, some players will pass him

No, he will finsih #1

I don't have an opinion

I doubt it, but Roddick looks like to be slightly injured/exhausted, Hewitt has lots of points to defend and will perhaps lose some focus due to some important events in his personnal life, Safin is injured and his motivation is always doubtable anyway, even when he is at his top physical form, so it looks like the circumstances will help Nadal...

He has a good chance of being number two at the end of the year. I don't think it's remotely likely for him to finish outside the top five as it's nearly impossible to have 5 players with 4000 points or more.

I doubt it, but Roddick looks like to be slightly injured/exhausted, Hewitt has lots of points to defend and will perhaps lose some focus due to some important events in his personnal life, Safin is injured and his motivation is always doubtable anyway, even when he is at his top physical form, so it looks like the circumstances will help Nadal...

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You make some good points, he might sneak in with the others fading off for the rest of the year...

he's an awesome player but i don't think he will top Roger Federer. The only two possibilities i think, will be Roddick if he makes a comeback and takes a step forward or Hewitt, because he is playin some good tennis.

I don't think Hewitt's the kind of guy to lose focus over personal life, and I feel that he will take the #2 rank back. He has always been one of the most serious guys about his tennis that I have ever seen.

Hewitt has a great record on these hard courts and I don't see anyone other than Federer being ahead of him, except maybe an in-form Agassi or Safin. A lot of points to defend that is clear, but the question is who will keep him from defending them? As I mentioned, I don't think Bec is the answer. I actually think he may gain points at Montreal with Federer out, barring another upset by a guy like Santoro.

Nadal is sabatoging his hard court season by playing minor clay court events. He is stupid to be doing that, I understand somebody like Gaudio who has no hope of real success in the summer hard court season, but for Nadal it is a poor decision. He has already jeaporized his hopes of success in the summer hard court season IMO. He will lose his #2 ranking.

Even if Nadal has a very disappointing finish to this year, he will probably still be #2 unless Hewitt or Roddick has a dominating 2nd half. I don't see either of them dominating unless Federer gets injured for the rest of the year though.

Nadal just became the 2nd player to qualify for the Masters Cup. Yes, it would be nice for Nadal and several of the other top 10 players to play in the U.S. Open series but you can't blame them for wanting to stay away from the heat. Nadal is just trying to extend his winning streak on clay. He plays well on hard courts and could do very well at the U.S. Open.

Unless Marat returns to form, only Andy or Lleyton have a shot at finishing #2...so, his chances are better than decent.

Having said that, I don't expect him to see the second week at USO. 1-1 on grass (losing to Gilles Muller!) sandwiched between--what--34 matches on the red stuff. I don't care what he did 4 months ago (on a slow HC)--it might well been last year...or just another clay court tournament. Not much variety/versatility.